Vale Vern Williams

Former UNE staff member and Head of Department of Physiology, Vern Williams has died aged 95. Vern was one of the early, and very long-serving members of the Faculty of Rural Science. He joined the Physiology Department with a Master of Agricultural Science degree in ruminant nutrition from the University of Western Australia in 1957. He earned great respect for his dedication to both teaching and research, and for the flow of high quality research papers he produced throughout his career. A tolerant and compassionate man, Vern did his full share of Faculty committee work, but was always happiest in the lecture theatre or laboratory, doing ‘his thing’. He was appointed as Lecturer in 1957, was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 1965, and after several periods as Head of Department of Physiology he retired in 1987, to live in Armidale. (Source Rural Science, Philosophy and Application, Edited by J.S. Ryan).

A memorial service for Vern will be held at St Mark’s Chapel, UNE at 1.00pm Sunday 9 July.